Gradual
by Lady Drama
Summary: "It's love, not logic." A peek at some special moments between a couple that prefers to stay in the background. HotaruRuka. Complete.


**AN:** _I keep reminding myself that I have homework to finish, but all that seems to do is draw my mind closer to fanfiction. Sigh. Anyway, this is a sort of response to those people who read my story Snapshots and wondered why Hotaru chose Ruka even though she and Hayate worked well together. And yes, I know I need to work on my punctuation addiction. _

* * *

It's love, not logic.

It's a strange feeling and the air is heavy with it and for a second, she wonders why nobody else seems to notice. It's so clear to her. She can see his gaze locked with hers, eyes a bright shade of blue that remind her of skies and flying; she can practically hear his thoughts in the sound of the confident steps he takes towards her; she can feel her skin warming as his fingers brush against her hand when he sits down on the chair in front of her desk; she can smell the tinge of forest and outdoors that always lingers around him as he leans closer to whisper in her ear.

"If you're done with your work here in the library, do you think you could meet me in that old classroom on the second floor after lunch? I still need some help with those exponents."

And with a plop, her fantasy vanishes into thin air.

Hotaru nods mutely.

"Thanks, Imai," says Ruka. He walks out of the library but not before turning around and giving her a grateful smile.

Oh, great. Now she's probably going to wind up spending another hour on unprofitable daydreaming. If she had any common sense left where he was concerned she would be billing him. She sighs at the thought.

Not that that will be necessary once they're together and have a joint account.

The librarian is surprised to see the usually calm Hotaru Imai snap her textbook shut with unwonted ferocity and stalk out of the room with an aggravated look on her face.

* * *

A teenage girl without daydreams is like peanut butter without jelly. Hotaru is exasperated by her wayward thoughts but try as she might she just can't seem to control the unruly beings any more. There was a time, she reminisces, when all the space available in her cranium was devoted to academic pursuits and blueprints for revolutionary machines. Now half her brain is engaged in loving an oblivious fool and the other half in wanting to slap him senseless for being an oblivious fool.

It would be easier if he were still in love with Mikan. Knowing that he was already with someone else, even if that person happened to be her best friend, would make things so much easier. An unavailable Ruka was an unavailable Ruka and her logical brain would surely realise that and stop secreting hormones that made her want to discover whether his hair was sunshine yellow or golden hued.

But he wasn't unavailable, he just wasn't available and the unfairness of that made her want to hit something. She settled for hitting Hayate, since he had the misfortune to be standing next to her. He yelped in protest and moved out of reach of her admittedly strong fist.

"Not so Cool today, Blue Sky?" he asked.

She shot him a withering glare and walked off.

* * *

She hates him by now, she's absolutely sure of it. So when he walks into the classroom early on a Thursday morning and dumps his books next to hers, she almost growls.

"What?"

"What?" he counters, with an easy smile.

"I like to sit alone," she untruthfully states.

"Okay."

But he makes no move to leave and Hotaru really, really wants to punch him. He just sits next to her, looking out of the window, chatting with their classmates, scribbling down some homework, even checking his watch. Doing everything, in fact, other than looking at her.

"What?" she finally snaps.

"What?" His expression is innocent but a glint of mischief is shining in his eyes.

* * *

Indifference. It's the only weapon she has left, she tells herself bitterly. Acting like she didn't care was so much easier when she really didn't. But she does care and its not easy to stop the hope from flickering in her eyes when he sits next to her everyday. But she quashes the silly feeling by reminding herself that three months into this new seating arrangement, they still haven't exchanged one word outside the commonplace realm of studies and mutual friends.

But all the reason in the world can't stop her heart from leaping into her throat when she enters the classroom one morning and sees him sitting there. It's unusually early, even for her. Nobody else is in yet. It's just the two of them in the room.

"Don't be ridiculous," she chides herself. "You've been alone with him before."

But it's a beautiful day outside, the sun is streaming in through the window behind him and something just feels so special, so_ different_ about today.

"Hi," she says softly, keeping her books on the table.

He starts a little at that because usually it's him starting their conversations. But there's not much that's usual about this day.

"Hi."

Her eyes meet his and a conversation is carried out in the silence.

An infinity later, footsteps and chatter invade the space. Yuu and Mochu enter, absorbed in some discussion about superheroes and football. They ask Ruka's opinion and in the midst of their heated debate, they miss out on the small signs still lingering before them. Hotaru's eyes are bright and her cheeks are tinged pink, even though her expression is calm. Ruka is outwardly paying them the utmost attention but his eyes stray ever so often to his partner and just as quickly back to the boys in front of them.

Koko bangs into the room, making everyone jump as he dumps his bag on a seat with a loud thump. He sides with Yuu in the argument, leaving a disgusted Mochu to sulk about the fickleness of best friends. As the three of them turn away, Hotaru's hand reaches under the table to quietly grasp Ruka's.

"Yeah," she says, "Me too."

Mikan is in the room by then and she and Natsume are doing a fine job keeping everyone entertained. Ruka presses a quick kiss on her lips.

It's subtle, but obvious, really.


End file.
